Lynda Barry: A Critical Guide

A complete introduction to the comics and graphic narratives of Lynda Barry, this book maps the historical and biographical contexts, key texts, the critical themes and debates surrounding her publications and the lasting impact of her work on the comics medium. With a distinctive body of work that unfolded during key moments in comics history from the much touted and criticized ‘coming-of-age’ of comics to the rise of underground and alternative comics and the establishment of graphic novels, Barry’s comics reflect the changing status of comics, while unpacking the very constituents of the medium and testing its limits.

Comprehensive and conveying specialist knowledge while remaining highly readable, Lynda Barry: A Critical Guide covers:

- comics history from an alternative perspective, focusing on issues of intersectionality and representation
- Barry’s major works including One Hundred Demons, What It Is, Making Comics, Syllabus, Cruddy and her comic strip Ernie Pook''s Comeek
- broad and salient themes in Barry’s work including memory, girlhood/womanhood, childhood, art pedagogy, creativity, overcoming creative anxieties, visual paper culture and the possibilities of drawing and collaging
- Barry’s materialities and her use of collage and art brut practices
- Barry''s prompts to creativity and connection and how they highlight the collaborative and accessible dimension of comics

Combining rich insights from comics studies, literary theory and visual culture, this is the ultimate guide to Lynda Barry and her oeuvre. This critical guide exemplifies the diverse ways of approaching comics, combining existing methodologies with novel possibilities inspired from the originality of Barry’s work.

• Publication date: 19 February 2026
• Page count: 224
• Dimensions: Height 223 mm; Width 148 mm; Thickness 18 mm
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
• Format: Hardback
• ISBN-13: 9781350453685